OUR STORY
Although Castro Martial Arts Center (CMAC) opened in February of 2021, its origins date back to 1987 when Chief Master José Castro became part of the Athens Martial Arts Scene. Not only has Chief Master Castro served as a Tae Kwon Do instructor in the Athens area since the mid 80s, his self-defense and fitness expertise have been lauded and employed in numerous venues.
From operating as security in the Athens 1996 Olympic venues to working with football players at the University of Georgia to teaching self-defense at UGA sororities, Chief Master José Castro’s willingness to share his knowledge and skills has been well-utilized. Currently, he is working with Piedmont Hospital to arm their security staff with useful self-defense techniques.
Whether helping others hone their martial arts skills or hosting students so parents enjoy an evening out, Castro Martial Arts Center strives to build families. A family-owned and operated venue, CMAC works with students who are interested in learning the skills, the values, and the importance of Tae Kwon Do, as well as other martial arts.
Not only does Tae Kwon Do build self-esteem and self-confidence, it promotes discipline and integrity. CMAC events and classes seek to support the tenets of Tae Kwon Do while simultaneously building and supporting families. We hope that you will peruse our website to see what we offer with respect to classes and events and we hope that you will join the CMAC family.
Ramsey Nix
Master Castro instills confidence, discipline and respect in his students. We’ve been so pleased with our son’s experience at his center.
Kelli B.
Master Castro has been such a gift to our family! Our oldest son was a squirmy worm who couldn’t pay attention to anything except Legos. He was kicked out of a daycare, and to boot, he couldn’t hear due to an ear problem. Master Castro took him under his wing and transformed him into a chill guy who can handle his emotions well. Master Castro also was/is a role model for our youngest. As a teacher, I’ve had more than one student mention that Master Castro is the reason they didn’t drop out of school. We are THRILLED that he is offering his services to a larger audience.
Doc F.
I am a past student of Jose Castro when he was at Athens YMCA. I returned to the Athens area and joined CMAC in June 2022. In one month’s time my health, spirit and confidence has been fully restored due to the unique training not to be found at any fitness center. CMAC is well known for offering children a path to deal with life in a challenging world. My message is there is much to offer for adults – CMAC currently has students as old as in their 70’s. (I am 63 by the way.)
Georgeann Ausburn
The staff has always gone above and beyond to make our experience there too notch! We look forward to many years of training to come.